Award-winning journalist and Irish Independent columnist Martina Devlin is returning to bookshelves with a new dystopian novel.

'About Sisterland' is Ms Devlin's ninth published book and focuses on a futuristic society where women hold all power and men are subordinates.

The author said she drew on her own upbringing in Northern Ireland while writing the novel.

"I grew up in a society where people were really kept apart - Catholics and Protestants in this case," she said. "I was struck by how extremism has a chance to put down roots - when two sides don't get to know each other as human beings."